ESX 3.0.2 vmfs perfomance (disk throughput)

[marc_testing]

We're currently running ESX 3.0.2 (STANDALONE installation) on Dell Power Edge 2950 connected over a LSI22320-R SCSI-controler to a Q12+ easyraid.

This hardware architecture is fully supported by Dell, VMware and easyraid.

We've problems with Vm-performance so we tested some things about disk throughput.

When copying/cloning virtual machines from VMFS to VMFS or test with dd to VMFS we have disk throughput between 12Mbytes/s and 15 Mbytes/s.

That's more than unacceptable.

Does anyone have knowledge/experience/solutions/hints for the problem?

Any input in this subject would be appreciated!

[kjb007]

That's not really a fair test for virtual machine disk throughput. VMFS to VMFS copy is limited as far as throughput is concerned. To test I/O within vm's, try your file copy inside of the vm's directly. You should get results more in line to the vm's, and should show results better than between the VMFS's.

-KjB

[marc_testing]

Hi kjb007,

that's right but a throughput by dd or copy of 15MB/s is not acceptable.

[happyhammer]

take a look at this http://communities.vmware.com/message/906821#906821 and download the IOmeter file and run inside a VM and compare your results to the other ones tested

[marc_testing]

Hi happyhammer,

iometer test results are between 20-22MB/s, that's more but not enough